Here is a breakdown and predictions for the Men’s Open division at the 2023 Mr. Olympia
The top show in bodybuilding, the 2023 Mr. Olympia, takes place November 3-4 in Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center. Although there are 11 different divisions, there is only one division that is the biggest and where so many bodybuilding legends competed and made history, such as Ronnie Coleman and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This division is the Men’s Open, and the winner can claim the title of Mr. Olympia, the highest honor in bodybuilding.
The Men’s Open is the main event at 2023 Mr. Olympia and will take two nights to cover, with the prejudging starting on Friday, November 3, 2023, followed by the finals on Saturday, November 3, 2023. This will be the 59th Mr. Olympia competition ever, and its turnout will be competitive. Some big names are returning such as Nick Walker who came in third last year, Derek Lunsford who got a close second right behind Hadi Choopan, who will also be coming back to try and reclaim the title.
However, some big name competitors will not be returning this year, such as Mamdouh Elssbiay, who is also known as “Big Ramy” and is a former Olympia champ, Brett Wilkin also had withdrawn from the 2023 Mr. Olympia. The stakes this year are significant, as the Olympia has changed some rules so only the top three competitors will automatically qualify for next year’s Olympia, instead of the top 5. That being said, athletes have engaged in trash talk and showcased their intense workouts leading up to the show, making for some great anticipation.
2023 Mr. Olympia Qualified Athletes (Men’s Open Bodybuilding)
- Brett Wilkin (USA) (Not competing)
- Hadi Choopan (Iran)
- Derek Lunsford (USA)
- Nick Walker (USA)
- Brandon Curry (USA)
- Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (Egypt)
- Samson Dauda (United Kingdom)
- Behrooz Tabani (Iran)
- Tonio Burton (USA)
- Ross Flanigan (USA)
- Iain Valliere (Canada)
- Michal Krizanek (Slovakia)
- Phil Clahar (USA)
- Andrea Presti (Italy)
- Hassan Mostafa (Egypt)
- Justin Shier (USA)
- Roman Fritz (Germany)
- Hunter Labrada (USA)
- Chinedu Andrew Obiekea (UAE)
- Kamal Elgargni (Libya)
- Nathan De Asha (United Kingdom)
- Regan Grimes (Canada)
Olympia Competitors to Look Out For
Who are some names to keep an eye out for? Let’s take a look.
Derek Lunsford
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It is no secret that Derek comes in with great conditioning, great shape, and lots of muscle mass, and he was right on the heels of Hadi at last year’s competition. Some of the top contributors to the sport have Lunsford winning this year.
Hadi Choopan
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Nicknamed “The Persian Wolf”, Hadi Choopan was last year’s champion, and he is coming back better than ever. Many fans have him winning again this year, as he is known for great conditioning, shape, and unmatched muscle maturity. However, some of the top Olympia contributors have predicted he would be a close second behind Lunsford.
Samson Dauda
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Samson Dauda is quickly rising to the top in the sport of bodybuilding. Samson is well known for his aesthetic structure, sporting some excellent muscular symmetry, and proportions. He also has a very tiny midsection compared to other competitors, with an unmatched V-taper, even though he weighs close to 300 pounds. Samson is massive, and has posing that flows flawlessly. He has further improved in size and conditioning since last March, so he could very well be in the top three at this year’s Mr. Olympia.
Nick Walker
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Nick Walker comes in with a lot more muscle mass than many of the other competitors, and the most freaky, earning him the nickname “The Mutant”. While the muscle mass is something that beats out a lot of competitors, he tends to lack in the aesthetic department, coming in with a bit more blocky than some of the other guys that share the stage.
Regan Grimes
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Regan Grimes is a name that is often overlooked in the bodybuilding world, but recent physique updates have shown that he is still going strong. With a great v-taper, and awesome separation in his muscles, Regan could be a wildcard competitor at the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
How to Qualify
In case you are looking to compete at the Olympia, here is a how competitors have to qualify for it, keep in mind that you have to be an IFBB pro first. As of December 2022, the IFBB had decided to do away with the points qualification system for the 2023 Olympia. Before, bodybuilders were given a chance to qualify for the Mr. Olympia if they finished in the top three of the points system over the course of the season, but that was not the case this time around. Now, all competitors will have to win a show during the qualification period in order to be eligible for the 2023 Olympia. That being said, the competitors that you are seeing this year are top of the line, they have all won a qualifying show within the past year (aside from the top five competitors last year).
How the Mr. Olympia is Judged
The Mr. Olympia judges look for a few different things for each competitor to have, so let’s take a look.
Muscle Mass
Obviously muscle mass is a large deciding factor when it comes to judging a bodybuilding competition, especially the Mr. Olympia. The muscles need to be well developed, with separation and striations, and be proportionate, meaning a competitor should not have lacking biceps but massive quads, the muscles need to all flow together.
Symmetry
The muscular symmetry is a big part of what the Mr. Olympia is judged on. As stated above, the muscles should flow together. Delts should flow into well developed biceps and triceps, and the legs should be large and developed enough to make the waist look smaller.
Conditioning
A load of muscle mass is not going to win you a bodybuilding show, especially not the Mr. Olympia. Judges look for hardened muscles, with striations and clear separation, and obviously there needs to be low enough body fat to see it all.
Wrap Up
Overall, the 2023 Mr. Olympia is creeping up fast, and this year’s competition is going to have some great competition. We definitely cannot wait to see all of these guys on stage this year!
Who do you think will win the 2023 Mr. Olympia? Let us know what you think in the comments below and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
